Pete Thamel: Seven showing early interest in Maalik Murphy, Texas QB transfer

Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy made waves on Wednesday when he entered the NCAA transfer portal, opting to step away from the Longhorns in the middle of a College Football Playoff run.

There has been no shortage of interest in the talented gunslinger since he entered, either.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel joined College Football Live on ESPN2 on Thursday afternoon to discuss some of the early overtures that have been made toward Murphy as he seeks a new destination.

“Preliminary list, it’s very early still, a couple of schools that have indicated interest are both USCs — Southern California and South Carolina — Baylor, Georgia, Oregon State, Syracuse and Duke,” Thamel said. “Those are basically what doubles as a list of quarterback-needy schools, and there’s going to be plenty of interest for Maalik Murphy.”

Among the two USC programs, the Trojans are set to lose 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, while the Gamecocks are going to be without Spencer Rattler going forward. Both could use some additional quarterback depth, if not a starter.

Oregon State saw both DJ Uiagalelei and Aidan Chiles depart for the NCAA transfer portal when coach Jonathan Smith bolted for the Michigan State job.

The other programs all have varying needs.

Thamel also threw one other wild card team into the mix for Maalik Murphy’s services, should another move happen.

“If JJ McCarthy leaves Michigan, that could be another potential landing spot down the line,” Thamel said.

Murphy served as the primary backup this year to starter Quinn Ewers, who was excellent throughout the season. Murphy saw a few opportunities, though it wasn’t necessarily the most encouraging showing.

The 6-foot-5 freshman finished the regular season 40-of-71 passing for 477 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He was sacked once.

But it’s the raw ability that will draw the interest of several teams scouring the transfer portal.

Prior to enrolling at Texas, Murphy was a four-star prospect and the No. 205 overall recruit in the nation in the 2022 recruiting class. He also ranked as the No. 12 quarterback and the No. 15 overall player from the state of California, hailing from Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra.